02/03, 4:15pm

Argues that prioritization, throttling are 'information services'

Carrier AT&T has filed two notices with the Federal Communications Commission that argue against the planned introduction of a proposal by FCC Chair Tom Wheeler to reclassify broadband and mobile data providers as "common carriers" under Title II. The proposal, yet to be formally introduced, would get rid of paid-prioritization deals, ensure net neutrality, cease blocking and throttling users without cause, and require more transparency in dealings by ISPs.

02/02, 11:03pm

Regulation will be proposed, but using model of 1993 cell carrier agreement

A few new details appear to have leaked out of the new proposal by Federal Communications Commission Chair Tom Wheeler, which would call for Title II regulation of Internet service by broadband providers and may also include a similar reclassification for cellular data, which up till now has been exempted. The move would increase the FCC's ability to regulate providers, but uses the "light touch" model that was adopted for mobile phone service in 1993.

01/29, 2:49pm

Vote of FCC commissioners to change broadband definition passes 3-2

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has changed its definition of broadband, after commissioners voted 3-2 in favor. The previous definition of 4Mbps download, 1Mbps upload minimum speeds have been increased to 25Mbps down, 3 Mbps up, a move which pushes higher the proportion of households in the United States declared to be incapable of receiving broadband Internet access.

01/26, 12:49pm

Cable companies do not believe customers need to have connection speeds faster than 25Mbps, according to a letter sent by a cable lobbying group to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The letter from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) asks that the FCC avoids defining broadband as a 25Mbps downstream, 3Mbps upstream connection, due to a lack of justification.

01/16, 11:10pm

$500 million fund with 1:1 matching will push program over $1 billion; reflects FCC mandate

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration on Friday announced plans to create the New NY Broadband Program as part of the 2015 State of Opportunity Agenda. The program would offer 1:1 matching to incentivize the expansion of high speed broadband into under- or un-served areas. The state will pony up half the money, with broadband providers tasked with matching the funding on at least a 1:1 basis.

01/14, 12:57am

Obama proposes to end laws in at least 19 states restricting broadband competition

In his speech today while visiting the Department of Homeland Security, President Barak Obama mentioned he would be speaking this Wednesday in Iowa to discuss "how we can get families faster, cheaper access to the broadband that allows them to successfully compete in this global economy." Citing the failure of for-profit carriers to bring equal coverage to rural parts of the US, the President called for the repeal of laws that forbid locally-created broadband services.

12/12, 7:27pm

Upgrade from 4Mbps definition in 2011 keeps 1Mbps upstream minimum

Over the objections of carriers and cable companies, the FCC on Friday voted to change the definition of the term "broadband" to require a minimum speed of 10 megabits (one megabit equals one-eighth of a megabyte) per second (Mbps) download speed -- an upgrade from the previous definition of 4Mbps -- while keeping the old definition's requirement of at least 1Mbps upload. Although the US is far behind many other countries in typical broadband speed (and US customers pay more for the slower speed that typical prices in many other places), AT&T and Verizon, along with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, argued that 4Mbps was sufficient for consumers.

12/03, 11:14pm

Chanute -- a small Kansas town with a population near 9,000 -- is seeking to expand its current municipal fiber in order to offer broadband services to its residents. To do so, the town must abide by a law from 1947 to seek permission from the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to sell bonds for the funds to build out the infrastructure. However, AT&T holds concerns over the potential effects the municipal service will have on the area, large enough that the company asked for permission to intervene into the proceedings.

10/22, 8:11pm

AT&T's quarterly results fell short of industry projections when the company announced $32.9 billion in revenue for the third quarter of 2014. The resulting earnings per share (EPS) was $0.63, missing the projected $0.64 EPS on $33.25 billion in revenue. While the company may have missed projections, it announced that it picked up more than two million mobile and broadband customers.

07/29, 6:15pm

Comments opened after organizations in Tennessee, North Carolina petitioned agency

After receiving petitions from the Electric Power Board (EPB) of Chattanooga, Tennessee and the City of Wilson in North Carolina, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is opening comments on the subject of preempting state laws. Based on Chairman Tom Wheeler's previous comments on municipal broadband, the FCC would get involved in the battle if it meant better serving consumers.

07/24, 8:48pm

EPB asks agency to step in, overturn state law to allow service outside existing area

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could soon have a chance to act on Chairman Tom Wheeler's promise to overturn state laws when it comes to municipal broadband networks. Today, the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB) filed a petition with the agency asking that they step over state law to allow them to expand access.

07/23, 4:40pm

Notice on Open Internet Transparency Rule tells ISPs to give accurate service information

In a public notice to Internet service providers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reminded business that they cannot lie to consumers about the services they offer. The notice informs business and the general public that "every provider of broadband Internet access in the United States" is subject to the Open Internet Transparency Rule.

07/17, 8:10am

A bill sponsored by US Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been passed, which aims to strip the Federal Communications Commission's ability to interfere with laws passed to limit municipal broadband networks. Passing 228-195, generally along party lines, the bill, if signed into law, would reinforce strictures that make it difficult in 20 states to offer municipal broadband services in opposition to services provided by for-profit giants like Comcast, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable.

05/31, 3:14pm

The US Federal Communications Commission is considering revising what it officially calls "Broadband Access." A proposal floated before the FCC will soon solicit comments on the definition of broadband, and is asking the public of 10Mbps or 25Mbps download and 2.9Mbps upload should be considered broadband.

05/25, 1:48pm

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) saw its 2011 proposal to expand broadband to rural areas upheld after a judge rejected arguments from carriers over the loss of telephone subsidy funds. The Connect America Fund, a $4.5 million initiative aimed at spreading faster Internet access to seven million people who live in rural areas, was under review by the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver after numerous telecommunication companies challenged the plan.

05/13, 4:40pm

Senators, Internet companies and citizens aren't the only groups issuing letters to the Federal Communications Commission over proposed changes to net neutrality. CEOs of major telecommunication companies have stepped in, issuing a letter to Chairman Tom Wheeler and the FCC commissioners, asking that changes in policy stay away from the concept of possible reclassification of broadband as public utilities.

05/12, 5:58pm

The head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Chairman Tom Wheeler, is said to be according to the revising his proposal on broadband rules, according to the Wall Street Journal. The uncirculated first version has come under heavy fire recently by a wide variety of parties, from the public, tech companies and government officials to the other FCC commissioners, all of whom have registered objections. Changes to the proposal will include language that would allow for FCC oversight on deals, in order to keep providers from separating traffic into two lanes of speed based on paid agreements.

02/28, 7:12am

Nintendo prepares to shutter Wii, DS multiplayer services on May 20th

Nintendo has revealed it will be shutting down its online multiplayer servers for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii on May 20th. The global closure will stop multiplayer games from working online through the Wi-Fi Connection service, but it will still allow other online aspects, such as the Wii Shop and video-on-demand services, to continue working. Online play for games made for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U will remain unaffected by the closure.

02/26, 2:00am

Lets users check connection speed, aggregate national averages

The US Federal Communications Commission has refreshed a broadband speed-checking tool for iOS that was originally created in 2010, and updated it for iOS 7 and other modern technologies. The free FCC Speed Test is part of the Measuring Broadband America initiative, and is part of an FCC initiative to get a better "performance map" of US broadband. Users can view historical test data and current performance using the program.

01/30, 3:03pm

Analog TV switch-off to free up bandwidth for faster connections

Time Warner Cable is planning to improve its Internet and paid television service in Los Angeles and New York under a new initiative, the cable company has revealed. Under the name "TWC Maxx," the company hopes to provide faster Internet speeds, a new TV experience, and a more reliable network, with work on the upgrades expected to start later this year.

01/21, 11:04am

Passengers could see faster Internet connections in transit before end of year

Transport companies in the United Kingdom could offer passengers faster Internet connections in the future, thanks to a recent decision by Ofcom. The UK regulator is permitting the use of satellite-based connections in travel, with Ofcom claiming passengers could end up seeing broadband speeds up to ten times faster than what is currently offered by airlines, ferries, and coach firms.

11/06, 7:53am

City drafts proposal requests for widespread fiber network rollout

Citizens of Los Angeles could receive broadband or even a gigabit connection in the future, according to new plans. The Los Angeles City Council is drafting a request for proposals from companies to develop the network, which will require "fiber to be run to every residence, every business, and every government entity within the city limits of Los Angeles."

10/30, 2:28pm

Plan to cap speeds on fixed broadband connections stopped by German court

A court in Germany has ruled that Deutsche Telekom cannot throttle its home broadband service to a lower speed when a customer exceeds data allocations on a flat-rate package. Plans due to come into force in 2016 that would force customers down to a significantly slower connection than one they had originally paid for once they reach a data limit can no longer take place.

10/07, 12:50pm

Search giant teams with industry players

Google has announced that it has teamed with other tech companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations to advocate for cheaper Internet across the globe. The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) believes policy change is necessary to encourage innovation and reach the UN Broadband Commission's goal of entry-level broadband access priced at less than five percent of monthly income worldwide.

07/23, 2:46pm

Verizon is updating its FiOS broadband service with a new high-speed package for customers to buy. The new package will provide Internet users on the FiOS Quantum Internet Service a top download speed of 500 megabits per second, accompanied by an upload speed of 100 megabits per second, an increase from the previous top tier's 300Mbps download speed.

04/24, 5:10pm

Bill introduces reforms to program to cut on waste and abuse

A new act was introduced to the House of Representatives yesterday seeks to update the "Lifeline" FCC program. The intent of the legislation is to expand the Lifeline program, and offer recipients the option of discounted telephone, mobile, and now, internet broadband access. The FCC chairman-supported bill was introduced on April 24 by representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Anne Eshoo (D-CA).

03/01, 7:13am

Deal worth $307M leaves Telefonica to work on 4G services

BskyB is acquiring Telefonica UK's landline and home broadband services. The deal, claimed to be worth around £200 million ($307 million) will see Sky become the second largest Internet service provider in the country, thanks to the addition of an extra 500,000 customers from Telefonica's Internet services, O2 and BE.

02/28, 11:28am

Fiber-to-the-home to reach 35M more households by Q4 2013

The Chinese government hopes to cover more than 70-percent of Internet users in the country with a 4M broadband service by the end of 2013. The announcement from Miao Wei, a minister working for China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is part of an initiative to increase the number of households with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) options by over 35 million.

11/21, 9:17am

Exede service boasts 12Mbps connection speed, capless periods

DirecTV has announced the packages for its satellite broadband service it has created with ViaSat. Dubbed Exede, the 12Mbps satellite connection is being aimed towards rural customers that lack cable or fiber broadband access, and is offering a $10 monthly discount and a refunded installation fee to initial sign-ups.

11/14, 1:59pm

Middle-mile network offers 10Gbps connections to businesses

EarthLink has completed construction on its fiber optic network in Tennessee, a project it started in 2011. The Eastern Tennessee Middle Mile Fiber Broadband Project laid more than 500 miles of fiber in “underserved communities” across the state, running between Nashville and Knoxville from east to west, and between Blountville and Chattanooga.

11/06, 2:19pm

University to spend three years making OOFDM commercially viable

Scientists are working on a way to improve broadband speeds to 2,000 times that of what is currently offered to users. A team of researchers for Bangor University in the UK have succeeded in creating a 20-gigabit fiber optic connection, and will spend the next three years working on making it more commercially viable.

09/27, 12:17pm

Service hopes to bring broadband to rural US

Dish Network is set to launch its nationwide satellite broadband service in the US. Called dishNET, the service is a collaboration between Dish, ViaSat and Hughes, and hopes to offer the 14.5 million rural residents under-served by DSL and cable internet providers a satellite broadband connection, claimed to be as high as 10Mbps.

09/16, 6:53pm

Low bandwidth caps, high excess charges hurting users

Broadband caps in Canada are too low and too costly, according to a Netflix executive. Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos called out the Canadian Internet service providers at the Merrill Lynch Media, Communications and Entertainment conference earlier this week, echoing other bandwidth-related comments against the country's ISPs earlier this year.

08/27, 9:41pm

Connect America Fund beneficiary of additional funds

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is evaluating a plan to place a new tax on broadband Internet service. The move would generate funds for the Connect America Fund, a subsidy created from the Universal Service Fund in 2011 to expand Internet access to rural and underserved areas. The FCC issued a request for comment on the proposal in April.

08/15, 11:40pm

Broadband to be bundled with TV service

Dish Network is reportedly preparing to rollout satellite broadband service to complement its existing television services. The company already offers satellite broadband in a limited number of markets, as part of a collaborative partnership with California-based communications company ViaSat, however the upcoming service is said to utilize EchoStar satellites and coverage across the entire contiguous US.

05/17, 1:08pm

Per-GB price reduced

T-Mobile has announced that it is changing its prepaid mobile broadband offerings to include several additional data caps and a new pricing structure. The one-week pass has jumped from $10 to $15, however customers will be able to utilize 300MB of data instead of 100MB for the seven-day span.

05/02, 11:33am

Verizon HomeFusion LTE rolls out from pilot scheme

Verizon is making its HomeFusion residential LTE boadband available across the US from May 3. The service has moved from a pilot program to a full product as an alternative to typical cable and DSL connections.

04/13, 2:00am

Router and adapter extend home networks

Buffalo Technology is entering the Powerline-based broadband extension accessory markets later this year with the Airstation Nfinity PL-05H adapter and the WPL-05G300 router and wireless access point. The Powerline system can be used to extend a broadband network by transmitting data over household electrical wiring, allowing any room in a home to be used as an access point where a wireless network can be created. The new products are also faster than previous Powerline versions.

03/23, 10:25pm

Rhode Island, Comcast fastest state and ISP

Pando Networks has announced its findings on US broadband speed averages, finding Austin the top city for fast internet downloading, with Rhode Island the fastest state and Comcast the fastest average ISP. The software consulting and analytics firm tested 10 million downloads (mostly games) of software using Pando's cloud-based distribution network. The Texas town has emerged as a tech hotspot with the recent additions of Samsung and Apple.

01/05, 10:30pm

Tech to be introduced at CES

ViaSat has announced plans to offer new satellite broadband plans for residential customers in the US. The company's upcoming offering will enable subscribers sign up for 12 Mbps broadband service for $50 per month.

09/21, 11:45pm

On-demand gaming for computers, TVs, tablets

OnLive has announced that its cloud-based gaming service is now available to customers in the UK. The initial launch, which will be formally introduced later today at the 2011 Eurogamer Expo, will enable users to access approximately 150 games via broadband connections and a television, PC or Mac computer, and iPads or Android-based tablets.

08/02, 12:05pm

Agency sees big improvement since 2009 survey

A report issued today by the Federal Communications Commission shows broadband speeds in the U.S. are now significantly closer to what Internet service providers advertise than they were in 2009. The report found that actual download speeds provided by the majority of U.S. broadband providers were within 80 percent or better of companies' advertised speeds. In 2009, download speeds were more often around 50 percent of the advertised rate.

07/20, 12:45am

Company points to U-verse as superior tech

Speaking at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners gathering in Los Angeles, AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson reportedly labeled his company's DSL broadband technology "obsolete." In a follow-up statement, the company suggests Stephenson's comments should not be taken as an indicator that AT&T does not "remain fully committed to the technology—even as we constantly look to bring innovation to the marketplace."

06/17, 3:25pm

Plans now start at 30GB, raise to 500GB

Canadian Internet provider Telus has modified its broadband plans, raising the monthly data caps for the various levels of service. The High Speed Lite plan now allows customers to use 30GB, rather than limiting the entry-level option to just 13GB. The upgraded High Speed, Optik High Speed/High Speed Turbo, and Optik High Speed Turbo/High Speed Turbo 25 caps have been doubled to reach 150GB, 250GB and 500GB, respectively.

05/21, 8:20am

FCC says US behind on broadband

An FCC report has shown that the US continues to lag behind the leading countries in the OECD when it comes to the Internet. Out of 29 countries evaluated for their mobile and fixed broadband adoption rates, the US ranked only 9th and 12th, respectively. Fixed broadband has been adopted by 63 percent of US households leaving it behind adoption rates in countries such as the UK, South Korea and Iceland.

04/26, 11:30am

200MB plan to drop overage penalty

According to a source, T-Mobile may be adding a new 2GB mobile broadband plan. If confirmed, the new plan would cost $40 per month, and would be discounted to $32 per month when added to an existing voice contract. In addition, the source says T-Mobile plans to drop overage charges for the current $30/200MB plan and will instead throttle speeds when that limit is reached. Both changes are reportedly set to take effect Thursday, April 28.

04/11, 9:45pm

Commission asks for input on "need for speed" info

The FCC is currently seeking comment on a proposal to simplify and standardize the presentation of broadband Internet plans to consumers. The Commission suggests many consumers are left uninformed regarding many of the essential differences between ISP offers, which tend to use a wide range of marketing techniques and inconsistent gauges for essential information such as connection speeds.

01/26, 8:20pm

Startup must still disprove interference claims

Confirming a leak that emerged earlier this week, the FCC has officially approved a proposal from satellite-broadband startup LightSquared. The move will lift a requirement that barred companies from deploying terrestrial phone networks using spectrum originally allocated for satellite-based phone systems. The startup now will be able to lease portions of its airwaves for standard smartphones while the company expands its satellite broadband endeavors.

01/25, 11:30pm

Goal tied with infrastructure spending

President Barack Obama has called for wireless broadband Internet expansion well beyond the goals previously set by the FCC's National Broadband Plan. The president has bumped the availability target up to 98 percent of all Americans. Moving toward the higher number is touted as a way to help boost the economic recovery through increased infrastructure spending.